


fourth leg

by peachperson



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Gen, More tags to be added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-23
Updated: 2017-07-28
Packaged: 2018-11-18 02:05:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11281497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peachperson/pseuds/peachperson
Summary: Four moments of Kalluto and the spider.





	1. Tattoo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Or, "Belong".

It's not only his mother's nagging in his head that makes Kalluto feel reluctant, as he steps into the dusky tattoo parlor. He tells himself that it can be temporary, that he has all the money he needs to get it removed. Still, this is a thing of permanence. One that he's not sure he likes--the spiders are mere means to an end. But, Kalluto supposes, as he slides a stack of bills across the beaten counter, is that not the point? The Spider marks its membership with permanence. The only removal of status is death.

So he follows a shadowy figure behind a curtain of beads, and loosens the top half of his kimono to bare pale back to greasy air. The man browsing through the pots of inks is bald, surprisingly young. Ludicrously inked himself, patterned with spiraling designs of dragons (that remind him of Grandfather's Nen) and koi, reaching from collarbone to waist. He does not speak to Kalluto as he prepares the needle, merely holds up a cloth with a spider (twelve legs, a four on its abdomen) painted on it in black ink. Kalluto nods mutely.

With a pain tolerance like his, the process is merely stinging. Lying on his front on a worn leather table, there is no sound but a faint roar of traffic and the punch of the needle. It is relaxing in a way, and he almost wishes it could go on longer when the artist withdraws and nods. But he reties his kimono, smooths down his dark hair, and paces back to the front room.

When he and the tattoo artist arrive, there is someone else in the doorway. It's the short, irritated-looking member of the Troupe, umbrella opened and resting against the floor, rainwater dripping from its tip. He's always seemed vaguely unpleasant. Kalluto struggles for the name--something with a "P". 

"You're getting water on my floor," says a voice, and Kalluto whips his head around to discover the tattoo artist speaking.

The short man scoffs. "Don't matter. Floor garbage. Tattoo?"

"The parlor's all I have, Feitan," replies the artist mildly. "It's done. Call me if it gets infected, Kalluto."

"You pay?" asks the other spider accusingly, attention turning to the boy. Caught unawares, he can only nod again. "Good. We go. Meet others."

So they step out into the rain, Kalluto blinking against the grey sky's brightness. It's half a block later when he realizes something.

"How did that man know my name?" he asks Feitan, who huffs.

"You a Zoldyck. But he know all our names." His eyes peer out from under the rim of his parasol, and from the way they narrow Kalluto knows he is smiling under his kerchief. "He knows Troupe good. You Troupe now."

Kalluto is not sure what to say to that.


	2. Brothers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The people of Meteor City reject nothing and no one.

Nobunaga doesn't trust the clownish man to find the exorcist without their supervision, and after much haggling they decide to escort him. It is Nobunaga and Kalluto behind, the clownish man and Machi in front. Sometimes the clownish man (who Kalluto knows to be a friend of his brother, but cannot place his name) will look behind and smile to eerie effect at him. More often he'll be looking at Machi and smiling. Kalluto can't help but wonder.

"Is he her...boyfriend?" he wonders aloud to Nobunaga, which makes the man snort.

"No," he replies, hand resting on his sword. "I'm not even sure if he swings that way sometimes."

"What way?" Kalluto persists.

Nobunaga seems vaguely embarrassed, and waves his other hand as if to be dismissive. "S'nothing. Just a joke. Anyway, she hates his guts."

He considers this. "He looks at her the way Father does Mother."

"Does he now," Nobunaga replies drily.

The Zoldyck is unsure what to say to that, and there is a moment of walking in silence. Then, he pipes up again. "Are _you_ her boyfriend?"

Suddenly the man laughs uproariously, so loud that both the clownish man and Machi turn to stare. Both of them look to Kalluto with mirrored expressions of inquiry, brows raised. He shrugs in reply, and the clownish man smirks. They continue to walk.

"No, no, I'm not her boyfriend. Machi and I, we're like...brother and sister. Actually, the whole Troupe is kinda like that. You're like that too, y'know. Like my little brother!" He pats Kalluto on the shoulder with a grin.

He's always been a little brother. To Illu-ni, to Milluki, to Killua, to Alluka. He's never really pondered on what it means to his older siblings, or even to himself. They are family, and they are not to kill each other. He is supposed to hold all his brothers (save Milluki) in high regard. That is that. The way Nobunaga says it makes it have a sacredness to it--like being a brother means the world and more, a solemn duty on both ends. Kalluto considers it, and finds he likes it.

"Okay," says he. "Like brothers."

"Damn straight, kid."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> told you there'd be bias.


	3. Dress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drink makes men unpredictable, and considerably emotional.

"Hey, Kallu," Phinks says, a slur to his voice, the can of beer in his hand crumpling slightly under his grip. "Why d'you dress like a girl?"

Kalluto looks up from his half-folded crane. Phinks exchanges glances with Feitan, and both snort. They've been getting drunker for the past hour at a table in the center, Kalluto taking up residence on a chair to the side. His eyes flick to the shattered glass littering the bar floor--they'd break a bottle every time they finished draining it. "It is traditional dress," he replies quietly. "You understand."

Shalnark, who sits at the same table, titters and is promptly glared into silence. "Yeah," Phinks continues, tossing the can against the wall, "but I don't dress like a girl. D'you wanna _be_ a girl, Kallu?"

Kalluto is fully aware that when an already hot-blooded man such as Phinks is irritated in an imbibed state, the boy is liable to end up like the bartender. Who is currently slumped over his bar, blood pouring from the hole in his chest. "No. My mother began to dress me like this when I was younger. I enjoy it."

"Enjoys it!" Phinks barks, rising from his chair. "You like lookin' all girly, yeah? Wear makeup and all that? You a momma's boy, Kallu?"

He had previously had his head slightly bowed, but now raises his chin to look Phinks in the eye. There's a subtle crease in his brow, and an ominous hum of his aura. Despite his mannerisms, he is far from delicate. "It's comfortable for me. And if it pleases my mother, that is a bonus."

"Comfortable."

"Yes."

Shalnark reaches out, with the delicacy of the truly tipsy, to tug at Phinks' sleeve. He bats the hand away, looking at the Zoldyck oddly. "Huh."

"What?" Kalluto snipes, fingers pinched tight around a paper fold.

"Nothing. Just wondered, is all. Your momma nice, Kallu?"

Kalluto considers this. By conventional standards, his mother is not a very nice person. By conventional standards, *he* is not a very nice person. Yet...

"Yes," he replies, tension leaving him. "She bakes me pies, and buys me these kimonos."

"Pies," says Phinks, faintly emotional. He sits back down, and Kalluto catches a glitter of tears in his eyes. "My momma, she died when I was real little."

"I'm...I'm sorry," he says awkwardly.

"Nah, nah. 'S'fine. You dress like a girl, that's fine too. I just wondered," He looks about the bar, and the prior gentle emotion in his face is gone. "The fuck is the rest of this? This bar's fuckin' shit. Kallu! Get over and sit with us, and bring a bottle while yer at it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i guarantee you if phinks was sober this conversation would not have come this close to "mistaken for homophobe".
> 
> also, GEEZ. updating once in a blue moon, much?

**Author's Note:**

> this is the first time i've ever written fic for this fandom, so i apologize if my characterization is a bit off. there's also probably some shipping bias in the later chapter, but nothing too major, i hope.


End file.
